The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1887-12-08
WOOL

WOOL
Tho Removal or Reduction Of Duties Thcro-
ON Suggested, supported by Exhaustive
Argument
The farmer or agflculturlst who manus
features nothing but who pays the increased
price which the tariff imposes upon every
agricultural implement, upon all he wears
and upon all he uses and owns, except the
increase Of his fiocks and herds and such
things as his husbandry produces from the
soil, IL invited to aid In maintaining.
present situation; and he is told that h.s.-
duty on imported wool Is necessary for those
who have sheep to shear, In order that the
price OF their wool may by increased They,
who has no sheep Is by this scheme Obliged,
in his purchases Of clothing and wooden
goods, to pay tribute to his fellow farmer
as well as to the manufacturer and mer-
chant; nor 10 any mention made OF the fact
that the sheep owners themselves and their
households must wear clothing and
use other articles manufactured from the
wool they sell at tariff prices, and thus
as consumers must return their shares
of this increased price of the tradesman.
think 1t may be fairly assumed that large
proportion of the sheep owned by the farm
ers throughout the country arc found IN
small fiocks numbering from twenty-five TO
| fifty. The duty on the grade OF imported
wool wi tch these sheep yield 1s ten cents
each pound if Of the value OF thirty cents or
less, and twelve cents IL of the value OF more
than thirty cents. If the liberal es'imate OF
six pounds be allowed for each fleece, the
duty thereon would be sixty or eeventy-two
cents, and this may be taken as the utmost
enhancement Of its price to the farmer by
reason Of this duty. Eighteen dollars would
thus represent The increased price OF the
wool from twenty-five sheep and $3.50 that
from the wool OF fifty sheep, and at present
values this addition would amount to about
one-third of its price. II upon its sale the
farmer receives this or less tariff profit, the
wool leaves his hands charged with precisely
that sum, which in all its changes Will ad-
here to 1t until it reaches the consumer.
When manufactured into cloth and other
goods and material for use, its cost is not
only increased to the extent OF the
farmers tariff profit, but a further
sum has been added for the preft
of the manufacturer under the operation of
there tariff laws In the meantime the day
arrives when the farmer finds it necessary
to purchase wooden goods and material to
clothe himself and family for the winter.
When he faces the tradesman for that pur-
pose be discovers that he is obliged not only
TO return, in the way OF increased prices, his
tariff profit on the wool he sold. and which
then perhaps lies before him in manufact-
ured form, but that he must add consider
able sum thereto to meet a further increase
in cost caused by tariff duty on the manu-
facture. Thus in the end he is aroused to
the fact that he has paid upon a moderate
which, when he sold his wool, seemed so
profitable,
AN INCREASE IN PRICE
more than sufficient to sweep away all the
tariff profit he received upon the wool he
produced and sold When che number of
20 in oil 10
with all the farmers in the country, and the
small proportion they bear to our popula-
ton is considcred; when it is made apparent
that, IN the case of large part of those who
own sheep. the benefit of the present tariff
on wool is illusory, and, above all. when it
must be conceded that the increase of
the cost of living caused by such
tariff becomes burden upon those
with moderate means and the poor, the
employed and unemployed, the sick and
stitutes tax which, with relentless grasp,
is fastened upon the clothing of every man,
woman and child in the land, reasons are
suggested why the removal or reduction of
this duty should be included i'll revision OF
our tariff laws In speaking of the increased
cost to the consumer of our home manufact-
ures, resulting from duty laid upon i'm
ported articles Of the same description, the
fact ia not overlooked that competition
among our domestic producers sometimes
y
products below the highest limit allowed by
such duty But it is notorious that this COM
petition is too often strangled by combina-
lions quite prevalent at this time, and fire.
quent1y called trusts, which have for their
object the regulation of the supply and price
of commodities made and sold by members
of the combination. The people can barely
hope for any consideration in the operation
of these selfish schemes If, however, in
the absence of such combinations, healthy
and free competition reduces the price of
any particular dutiabie article of home pro-
duction, below the limit which it might 9TH
erwise reach under our tariff laws, and if,
with such reduced price, it's manufacture
continue to thrive, it is entirely evident
that one thing has been discovered which
should be carefully scrutinized in an effort
to reduce taxation. The necessity Of COM
bination to maintain the price of any COM
modify to the tariff point furnishes proof
that some one is willing to accept lower
prices for such commodity, and that such
prices are remunerative; and lower prices
produced by competition prove the same
thing. Thus where either Of these condi-
tions exist case would seem to be pre-
Sented for an easy reduction OF taxation. The
considerations which have been presented
touching our tariff laws are intended only to
enforce an earnest recommendation that the
surplus revenue Of the government be pre-
vented by the
REDUCTION OF OUR CUSTOMS DUTIES,
and. ut the same time, to emphasize sug-
gestion that in accomplishing this purpose
we may discharge double duty to our peo-
pie by granting to them measure of relief
most needed and from sources where it can
be most fairly and justly accorded. Nor can
the presentation made Of such consider
ations he, with any degree of fairness, re-
garded as evidence of unfriendliness toward
our manufacturing interests or of any lack
of ati nf hoir i'm
portance. These interests constitute lead
ing and most substantial element OF our ma
tional greatness and furnish the proud proof
OF our country's progress But ii in the
emergency that presses upon us our manu-
facturers are are asked to surrender some
thing for the public good and to avert dis
aster, their patriotism, as well as grateful
recognition OF advantages already afforded,
should lead them to willing cooperation.
No demand is made that they shall forego all
the benefits of the governmental regard:
but they cannot fail to be admonished of
their duty, as well as their enlightened self
interest and safety, when they are reminded
of the fact that financial panic and collapse.
to which the present condition tends, afford
no greater shelter or protection to our manu-
facturers than our other important enter
priseR Opportunity for safe, careful, and
deliberate reform is now offered; and none
of us should be unmindful of time when
an abused and irritated people, needless of
those who have resisted timely and reason
able relief, may insist upon q radical and
sweeping rectification Of their wrongs
The difficulty attending a wise and
fair revision of our tariff laws is
not under estimated 1t will re-
quire on the part Of the congress great labor
and care, and especially broad and national
contemplation Of the subject, and a patriotic
disregard of such local and selfish claims as
are unreasonable and regardless of the well
fare Of the entire country. Under our pres
emit laws more than four thousand articles
are subject to duty. Many of these do not
features. and many are hardly worth atten-
ton as subjects of revenue. A considerable
reduction can be made in the aggregate by
ADDING THEM TO THE FREE LIST.
The taxation Of luxuries presents no feat
ures Of hardship; but the necessaries of life
used and consumed by all people. the duty
upon which adds to the cost of living in